


The Boy at the Bar

by lovelyziam



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Louis isn't really in this, M/M, Niall and Harry only get like two seconds so, This is just really fluffy, but he's the friend Liam has to go meet, but i tried, like it might not even be well written fluff, so I counted him anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-03
Updated: 2015-09-03
Packaged: 2018-04-18 19:20:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4717505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyziam/pseuds/lovelyziam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn just wanted to meet Niall and Harry, not try and fend off a dense bar patron. Though, he doesn't mind as long as it means he gets to pretend to be the hot stranger's boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Boy at the Bar

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first Ziam fic? Idk I'm pretty happy with it, so I hope you enjoy it

Zayn was uncomfortable. Really freaking uncomfortable.

He had come to the bar tonight to meet up with Niall and Harry–not that he had wanted to come out–but they had dragged him from his home, claiming something about him needing to have a good time and to put work on hold for a minute. The thing that those two didn’t understand, though, was that Zayn’s work was a good time. There was nothing Zayn loved more than locking himself up in his studio and designing the graphics for a new comic book. He loved losing himself to the stroke of his pencil over paper, the soothing sounds of lead scratching the surface beneath it.

But now Harry and Niall were nowhere to be found when Zayn needed them most.

“That tattoo is really, really cool. Mind if I take a look?”

Zayn’s skin was crawling.

“I, eh, I don’t really like strangers touching me.” Zayn winced slightly. He was trying to be polite, but this girl was really starting to get on his nerves.

“Aww, but baby,” the girl cooed. She was far too close for Zayn’s comfort. “We’re not strangers anymore. We’ve spent the last twenty minutes getting to know each other.”

And, yet, Zayn didn’t even know this girl’s name. What he did know, however, was that he was going to get out of here as fast as he could and as soon as he could. Unfortunately, there was no escape. Not yet.

“Sooo…” The girl trailed off, running her index finger up and down Zayn’s right arm. He wanted to chop that finger off.

“What do you say,” She paused, moving her hand to the back of Zayn’s bar stool. “About getting out of here,” another pause, but this time she turned Zayn’s chair so she was standing directly in front of him. One step closer and she would be in between Zayn’s legs, and wasn’t that a scary thought? “And going somewhere private?” She was just about to take a step forward when someone crashed into Zayn’s side, nearly knocking him out of his seat.

“Hey!” The girl shouted. “Watch where you’re going, dick.”

The kid who had crashed into Zayn looked up at the girl, a smug grin covering his mouth.

 _Okay, so maybe not a kid_ , Zayn thought, taking in the man’s wide shoulders and toned arms. Definitely not a kid.

“Well, why don’t you watch whose boyfriend you’re flirting with then, sweetheart.”

The girl was momentarily caught off guard, and Zayn couldn’t blame her. He was, too, and for a good reason: he didn’t have a boyfriend.

The man next to him turned towards Zayn so Zayn finally got a good look at him, and a good look it was. The man standing next to him was tall, broad, and handsome. He had a body that could easily rough someone up, but a face that promised no harm. Zayn was okay claiming this man as his boyfriend. Totally and one hundred percent okay with it.

The guy standing next to him leaned forward until his lips were brushing against Zayn’s ear and Zayn felt goose bumps rise across his skin.

“If you’d like, I’ll help you get out of this mess. This one’s got a reputation for, um, coming on strong.” The guy gave a short laugh, breath ghosting against Zayn’s ear. “If you don’t want my help, tell me to screw off and I’ll leave you alone. I promise.” The man was about to pull away when he hesitated and moved back into Zayn’s personal space. “’M name’s Liam, by the way. Y’know, in case we need to sell it.”

Zayn couldn’t stop a grin from spreading across his lips at the politeness of the boy—er, Liam. He had been dealing with, for all intents and purposes, a clingy creep for the last twenty minutes, and this boy’s easy charm and disarming smile caused Zayn to relax immediately. It was weird, him being this comfortable around a boy who he had met seconds ago, even weirder that the boy was so willing to save a perfect stranger, but Zayn, as alarming as it was, knew Liam wouldn’t expect anything else but a simple thank you, and then he’d walk right away and leave Zayn alone. He couldn’t quite tell why that thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Zayn realized that he was probably staring at Liam for too long with a stupid grin on his face—it was just to keep up appearances, okay? They were supposed to be dating—before he quickly snapped himself out of it and wrapped an arm around Liam’s waist, turning to face the clingy creep.

“You were saying?” Zayn questioned to her utterly shell shocked expression. He could see Liam’s lips tilt up into a smirk out of the corner of his eye.

She blinked, her eyes slowly shifting from Zayn to Liam and back again before she finally smiled at them both. It was very unsettling, that smile.

“This is a joke, right? You’re just playing hard to get, making me work for it.” Her smile morphed into a self-satisfied grin, as if she was so proud of herself for solving the world’s most difficult problem. Which, okay, it wasn’t the world’s problem, but there was no way she had caught onto them that fast. Zayn knew he wasn’t the best actor, but he wasn’t complete rubbish, either. And hard to get? If she had figured it out, wouldn’t she have realized that people only pretended to have a significant other to discourage others from a certain thing? Like setting up blind dates or hitting on random strangers? Zayn was beginning to think she hadn’t figured it out. She wasn’t nearly smart enough… or she couldn’t take a hint. Probably a combination of both.

Liam gave a light chuckle beside him, and Zayn turned to look at him. He was a little shocked when he found those brown eyes staring back, seemingly sucking the breath right out of Zayn.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Liam murmured, not breaking eye contact with Zayn. “Lord knows I chased him for years before I finally caught him.” Liam turned to the girl with a stormy expression, one Zayn would have never known he was capable of, but when he spoke he maintained a calm demeanor. “And I’ll be damned if I let someone take him away from me. Now, if you’ll excuse us.” Liam stepped in between the girl and Zayn, most likely bumping her back a few stumbling steps. Zayn couldn’t find it in himself to care as the girl gave an angry puff.

When Liam turned back to face Zayn, he was wearing a smug little grin. Zayn had never had such a strong and unexplainable desire to kiss someone that badly in his life, and Liam was a _stranger_.

Zayn opened his mouth, about to say thank you, when—

“Uh, excuse me.”

Liam’s eyes widened comically as a too long fingernail tapped him on the shoulder. If Zayn wasn’t mistaken, he could have sworn that was panic he saw in Liam’s eyes.

Liam slowly turned to face the girl, an apprehensive look coloring his features.

“Can I help you?” Liam sounded a bit annoyed. Zayn was super impressed with his acting skills. Again.

Zayn could see the girl’s sneer from over Liam’s shoulder and he immediately tensed, hating that look directed at Liam. Which was stupid, Zayn knew, because he had just met Liam and he already felt defensive of him. It didn’t make any sense.

“Yes, you can actually. Why don’t you stop pre—”

Zayn tugged on Liam’s sleeve until the man turned around, a question forming on his lips. Those beautiful lips. God, Zayn really wanted to kiss him.

Zayn sucked in a harsh breath at the realization and drew his gaze up to meet Liam’s.

“How committed are you to our fake relationship?” Zayn was pretty sure he whispered, but it felt almost like a shout coming from his breathless lips.

Liam threw a look over his shoulder at the girl who was barely containing her annoyance—unjustified annoyance, if you asked Zayn—before turning back around.

“Considering I started it, I’m pretty sure I’m all in. Why?”

Zayn smirked up at Liam, trying not to let his nerves show. “I think there’s only one way we’ll truly get rid of her, don’t you?”

Fuck, but Zayn was nervous as he watched Liam’s eyebrows draw together and adorable crinkles form along his forehead. Zayn was just about to make up some lame excuse when Liam’s eyes dropped to his lips and a silent ‘oh’ left his mouth.

He brought his eyes back to Zayn’s. “If you’re sure?”

Zayn only nodded before Liam dropped his head, their lips connecting in a light touch. Zayn gasped at the first brush of their lips and Liam wasted no time in taking advantage. He darted his tongue out, licking along Zayn’s parted lips, but never quite entering Zayn’s mouth. It’s like he was playing chicken, darting his tongue just close enough for Zayn to taste it, but pulling back fast enough as to not brush against Zayn’s.

Zayn left out a soft moan—he’d be embarrassed about that later, right now he was too lost in the feeling of Liam’s lips—and wrapped his hands around Liam’s neck and twisted his fingers in the short hair there.

Neither of them heard the loud cough and the clacking of heels against the floor as the girl stomped away.

Zayn tilted his head slightly, finally taking the leap and brushing his tongue along Liam’s. Liam reacted eagerly, pushing his tongue further into Zayn’s mouth before he finally broke the kiss.

“Fuck,” Liam muttered as he pulled away. He didn’t go far, though, just rested his forehead against Zayn’s. They were both breathing harsh at this point, their breaths mixing in the small space between them, but Zayn didn’t want to pull away.

“I think she’s gone.” Liam’s eyes were still on his lips, but Zayn knew he was probably right.

Liam pulled back reluctantly, or at least that’s what Zayn thought, and met Zayn’s eyes.

“Um, thank you, for… y’know.” Zayn drug his words out, hoping to keep Liam here for as long as possible. He didn’t want him to go, not yet.

“No problem. I hate people like that. All in your face and forcing something the other doesn’t want. Used to get livid when some bloke tried to force himself on one of my sisters.” The boy gave a depreciating shrug, apparently a little embarrassed now that they weren’t acting. Or kissing.

“So you do this a lot, then? Pretend to date a lot of people in random bars?” Zayn gave a mental wince. Sure, he said it jokingly, but the blush quickly rising on Liam’s cheeks said that it might not have been received that way.

“No,” Liam began. “This was, uh, the first. First time pretending to be, uh, you know…” He trailed off, bringing a hand around to cup the back of his neck. His cheeks were a vibrant red, and damn if Zayn didn’t find that absolutely adorable.

Zayn grinned. “Guess that makes me special, then, huh?”

Impossibly, Liam’s cheeks grew even redder as he gave a stuttering laugh. Teasing Liam was quickly becoming Zayn’s favorite thing.

Liam looked up at Zayn through his lashes, effectively cutting off Zayn’s air supply. “Special enough that I went through all this trouble without even knowing your name.”

It was then that Zayn suddenly realized that, yeah, Liam didn’t know his name, even if they were pretend dating just minutes ago.

“It’s Z—“

“Zayn!”

Zayn whipped his head around at the sound of his name, only to be enveloped by an over excited Niall and Harry.

“Where’ve ya been hiding mate? Feels like it’s been weeks!”

“Months,” Harry added.

“Years,” Niall finished, a maddening grin spreading across his lips.

Zayn rolled his eyes; they started this every time they got together. “Yeah, yeah. Give me a minute, will you?”

Zayn turned back around, expecting Liam to be looking over the scene with barely contained curiosity in his eyes, but he was met with an empty space instead. He was disappointed for all of five seconds before he saw a note placed on the bar with messy handwriting.

_Seems your actual rescue team came a tad too late, huh?_

_Sorry I couldn’t stick around, I had a friend I was supposed_

_to meet 15 minutes ago, but I just couldn’t stop myself_

_from saving the cute boy at the bar. Maybe you might need_

_saving later on, Zayn?_

It was followed by a number, and Zayn couldn’t stop himself from grinning like a fool even after Niall and Harry pulled the story out of him and teased him mercilessly about it.

**Author's Note:**

> @ lovlieziam.tumblr.com


End file.
